News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-10-27
THE CONVICT IN PRISON.
A story that Upsets the Total De
pravity Theory.

ga good many years ago, I won't say
how many, but it was before had seen
much service as a prison manager, this
Bill - was sentenced to the Albany
Pen1tentlary. He arrived, ugly lips
compressed, brow corrugated, ewes flash
ing baleful fire. / was in the office ut
the time, but a message was promptly
sent to me and I soon faced him. I
found that Bill had resolutely declined
to have his hair cut. You know we al
ways cut q prisoners hair rs soon as he
reaches us. Well, / informed him-and
I guess my voice sounded pretty decided
that he must submit to the rules of
the institution or take the consequences.
He answered that he'd not have his hair
cut. Consequently [ ordered him put
into one of the dark cells OF placed on
starvation Diet forget Just what--Iln-
til he should surrender. It was not
long before he sent for me and sta
tel that he'd made up his mind to
submit Accordingly I had him out of
his cell and placed in the BARRIERS hands.
No sooner, howeF5sl;, was he shorn of his
hair than he turned to me with as muir
derous an expression as [ ever saw on
a human face, and burst out, his voice
trembling with passion You want to
look after me, Amos Pillsbury. If ever
L get chance at you, you're a dead
man.
"Well, not long after receiving this
cheerful assurance of the place / held
i'll his regard, the regular barber of the
penitentiary fell i'll and, on learning
that Bill had once kept "a tonsorial par
Tor, [ decided that he should take the
place of the sick man. Then there was
trouble again. While | was eating my
breakfast the day he was to begin bar
bering L was summoned to the barber
shop. L went around, and found that
his appointment was giving great dis
satisfaction. Why? Well, one or two
of the men who We're present spoke up
and remarked in Bits presence that
they were afraid to allow such desper-
ado to run razor over their faces.
That put me on my mettle. I was
young and pretty rash, l suspect, and
then my temper was not so cool as it is
now; so [ exclaimed: Afraid! nonsense
why should you be afraid? I believe
that Bills rs trustworthy q barber as
we ever had in the institution. I need
shaving and he shall shave me-.
'With that l hurried off my coat and
collar and got into the BARRIERS chair
throat well barred. In the circumstances
the act was, of course, foolhardy one.
was rlsking my own life and exposing
bloodthirsty convict to terrible
temptation. However, my time hadn't
come. never had better shave in
my life, although the BARRIERS hand
trembled so that was afraid he would
accidentally cut me, even if he didn't
Intentionally carve me up. When he
got through I shook hands with him,
and from that day until his term ex-
pred he was one of the most exemplary
prisoners in the institution, industrious,
faithful, and cheerfully obedient to all
orders.
Gone day after his term expired he
related the incident of his shaving me.
why, Bill, didn't you go for Pillsbury?
inquired the rough to whom he was
talking. Lacked sand, eh 2 No. re
Piled Bill, Il didn't lack sand. But
d--n me if could do him up. He
showed confidence in me, he'd put him
self completely in my power. No, 1
couldn't kill as game man as Pillsbury
showed himself"